Refrigerating device



Sept 8, 1931. N. EcKLEs REFRIGERATING DEVICE Filed April 19, 1930 Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE NOBLE ECKLES, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN W. BOUR, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA REFRIGERATING DEVICE Application filed April 19,

This invention relates to a cooling or retrigerating device, and it is a general object of the invention to provide a simple, practical. and eicctive refrigerating device adapted to he operated by or in connection with an internal combustion engine.

lt is an object ot' the invention to provide a cooling or retrigerating device adapted to he operated in connection with an internal eomhustion engine that utilizes the reduction ot pressure or suction developed in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine to cause the atomization and rapid evaporization of a refrigerant.

Another object of the invention is, to provide a device ot the character mentioned that may employ gasoline, or other volatile liquid, as the refrigerant.` i

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned which is related to an internal combustion engine so that the refrigerant after having evaporated is drawn into the intake manifold of the engine without interfering with the action or ctlicient operation of the engine. It is another object ot the invention to provide a refrigerating device of the char- 'l aeter mentioned that is adapted to be carried on4 a motor vehicle, such as an automobile, driven by an internal combustion engine and that is adapted to be operated by the engine ot' the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a retrigerating device of the character mentioned that is simple and inexpensive of construction and requires little or no adjustment or regulation.

It is a further vobject of the invention to provide a device of the. character mentioned that is particularly economical in operation as the refrigerant employed may be a volatile combustible liquid that maybe burned or used to advantage in the internal comhustion engine operating the device.

Other objects and features of my invention will he bestand more fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical form and application of the inven- .f'io tion. throughout which description reference 1930. Serial No. 445,642.

will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of theengine of a typical automobile illustrating the device provided by this invention in connection therewith. Fig. 2' is an enlarged top or plan -view of the principal parts of the device. Fig. 3 is a vertical detailed sectional view taken substantially as indicated by line 3 3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical e0 detailed sectional view taken substantially as indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the principal parts of the device. Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal detailed sectional view of the atomizing or carbureting portion of the device.

The cooling or refrigerating device provided bythe present invention is capable of use in various situations. and in connection with various types of internal combustion engines, or other machines that are adapted to creat-e a suiicient reduction of pressure or suction to provide for the movement of a volatile liquid and to create a low pressure in a chamber for rapidly evaporating the liquid. The device is particularly suited for use in connection with an internal combustion engine whose'operation will not be materially affected by the injection of a small quantity of vaporized liquid, such as gasoline, into its intake manifold. Throughout the following detailed disclosure I will describe a form of the invention particularly suited for operation by an internal combustion engine of the type ordinarily operated on gasoline and will describe the device as operated by the internal combustion engine of an automobile. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular form and'application disclosed herein but is to be taken as including any features or modifications that may fall within the scope of the claims.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have illustrated a typical internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle which includes, generally, a cyl'- inder block 21, a cylinder head 22, a carburetor 23, an intake manifold 2O for receiving the atomized fuel from the carburetor 23 and for passing it into the cylinders of the 1M engine, an exhaust manifold 24, a radiator 25, a cooling fan 26, and various other parts common to engines of this class. The particular engine illustrated is provided with pipe or conduit 27 for connection with what is commonly termeda vacuum tank into which fuel is drawn froma supply tank to be discharged into the carburct( r 23. The vacuum line 27 communicates with the intake manifold 20 through a suitable fitting 28.

The device provided by this invention may include, generally, a box or cabinet 10, a refrigerant container or reservoir 11 for carrying a supply of a volatile refrigerant, a pipe or suction line 12 for connection with the in take manifold 20 ofthe engine, a cooling coil 13 having one end connected with the suction line 12, a low pressure or reduced pressure chamber 14 connected with the other end'of the coil, and means 15 for atolnizing the refrigerant` to be evaporated into the chamber 14 whereupon it is drawn through the coil 13 and line 12.

In practice it is desirable to encase the `cooling coil 13 and the reduced pressure chamber 14 in a heat insulated cabinet provided to contain the articles to be cooled or chilled. In the drawings I have illustrated a cabinet 10 carrying the reservoir 11, the coil 13, and thereduced pressure chamber 14.` In'the event that the device is to be operated by the engine of a motor vehicle or automobile, the cabinet 10 may be designed to -be carried on a convenient part of the vehicle. For example, it may be designed to be mount ed on a ruiming board 23a of the vehicle. The cabinet 10, illustrated, is a rectangular structure having a hinged top or cover 29. A transverse' vertical partial partition 30 is provided in the interior of the cabinet 10 to divide it intoJa cooling compartment 31 for holding the articles or objects to be chilled, and a compartment 32 for carrying the reservoir 11. The cooling compartment 31 is preferably heat insulated by suitable insulatiing material 33 provided on the inner walls of the cabinet 10 and the partition 30. If desired, the cover 29 may also be provided with suitable heat insulating material. The cooling coil 13 and the reduced pressure chamber 14 are preferably mounted within the cooling compartment 31. y

The supply reservoir 11 is provided to hold a supply of a volatile refrigerant liquid for use in the device. Thereservoir 11 is arranged within the compartment 32 of the cabinet 10 and may be shaped to effectively 'i fit into the compartment. The upper side or topvof the reservoir 11 may be provided with a filling opening having a cap or closure 34.

The suction line 12 is connected with the intake manifold 2() of the engine and extends to the coil 13 to pass or draw avaporized refrigerant from the coil and the chamber 14 into the manifold 20. The suction line 12 may he connected with the intake manifold 2f) between the carburetor 23 andthe valves of the engine in any suitable manner. ln the case shown the line 12 is connected to the manifold 20 by the fitting 28 of thevacuum line 27. The line 12 extends from the intake manifold 20 to the cabinet 10 where it com .nluuicates with the cooling coil 13. In the particular form of the invention illustrated the section line 12 extends through -an opening in a side of the cabinet 10 adjacent its upper edge to project into the compartment `31 where it is connected vwith the upper end compartment 31. The coil 13v may be formed of a single length of tubing or pipe and may have its upper end connected with the suction line 12 and its lower end communicating with the reduced pressure chamber 14.

The reduced pressure chamber 14 is acloscd or pressure tight container and is provided to receive the atomizcd volatile refrigerant from` the atomizing means 15 andlto initially pass or carry the refrigerant during its rapid evaporation before it passes into the cooling coil 13. The chamber 14 is arranged in the cooling compartment 13 of the cabinet 10. The chamber 14 may be mounted in a corner of the compartment 31 or against the side wall of the compartment on which the coil 13 is arranged. The chamber 14 may be a hollow cylindrical member and may be vertically arranged in the corner of the compartment 31. The receiving or lower end of the coil 13 communicates with the chamber 14. In the preferred form of the invention the receiving lower end of the coil 13 extends through an opening in the lower end of the chamber 14 to receive the vaporized refrigerant from the chamber.

If desired, means'may be provided in connection with the device for chillingor freer/.- ing a liquid or for cooling a body of metal. A body of liquid or metal chilled or made cold during operation of the device will absorb heat from within the cooling compartment 31 in the event that the engine for operating the device is stopped so that articles in the cooling compartment will remain chilled for :n` period after the engine has stopped. In the drawings I have/illustrated a liquid container 36 arranged in connection with the low pressure chamber 14 for holding a liquid to be chilled or frozen. The liquid container 36 may n'ormally close the upper end or top of the chamber 14. The upper end of the chamber 14 may be beveled outwardly and the container 36 may be correspondingly shaped to tightly seal against the upper Walls of the chamber. The container 36 may have a radially projecting lip 37 at its upper end seating against the upper edge of the side Walls of the chamber 14. 'lhe container 36 may depend downwardly from the lip 3 7 into the interior of the chamber 14. The side Walls 38 of the container 36 maydiverge or fiare upwardly and outwardly so that liquid frozen iu the container will not burst it and so that the frozen body may be readily removed from the. container. lf desired, the container 36 may be removably mounted on the chamber 14 so that the frozen liquid may be readily removed from within it.- i

The atomizing means 15 maybe in the nature of any suitable form of carburetor or atomizing device to break up or atomize the liquid refrigerant drawn from the supply reservoir 11 before or as it is passed into the low pressure chamber 14.- In accordance with the preferred form of the invention the means 15 is in the nature of a simple atomizing-deviee that does not require adjustment or regulation.

reduced pressure chamber 14, and a liquid supply line 41 for passing the liquid refrigerant from the reservoir 11 into the air intake line 40.

T he air intake line 4() is provided to pass air into the reduced pressure chamber 40 and preferably discharges into'the upper portion of the chamber. The line 40 may extend from the upper portion ofthe chamber 14 to the exterior of the cabinet 10. A choke' tube 42 is provided in theline 40-to increase the velocity of the air passing through the line to draw the liquid through the supply line 41 and to break up the liquid as it is discharged fro'm the nozzle 43. In the particular form of the invention illustrated,the choke tube 42 isprovided at its outer end with an internal ring 43a to reduce its passage at that point. An internal radial shoulder is provided in the choke tube vat a point adjacent the low pressure chamber 14 to greatly reduce the internal diameter of the inner end of the tube. The reducing ring 43 and internal shoulder 70 provide a small "reduced pressure chamber in the choke tube. The supply line 41 passes thev liquid refrigerant from the supply reservoir 11 to the choke tube 42. The line 41 may extend from a point adjacent the bottom of the supply` reservoir 11 to the tube 42. The end of the line 41 may discharge into an opening 71 in the Wall of the choke tube 42. The inner end portion of the opening 71 is reduced to act as a nozzle for spraying or discharging the refrigerant into the choke tube. opening 71 is preferably angularly disposed relative to the axis of the choke' tube todis- The means 15 may include an air intake l1ne 40 for passing a'r into the The charge the liquid inwardly toward the restricting shoulder 70.

Thechoke 42 is connected with the low pressure chamber 14 by a heat insulating connection 73. The connection 73 may be a tubular part formed of rubber, bakelite, or the like. The connecting member 73 may have an end 'extending into the inner end of the choke tube 42- and its opposite end discharging` through an opening 74 in the wall of the chamber 14. The connection 73 prevents the greatly chilled chamber 14 from contacting with and chilling the choke tube 42 so that the liquid will not. freeze in the choke tube. The air drawn into' the chamber 14 passes through the tube 42 at a high velocity to draw the liquid through the line 41 and to break it up or atomize it as it discharges from the opening 71. The `rola-tile refrigerant passes from the line 40 into `the chamber 14 in an atomized condition where it rapidly evaporates to cool or chill the surrounding parts. A valve 46 may be provided in the supply line 41 to provide for the regulation or adjustment of the mixture of liquid and air.

It is believed that the operation of thc device provided bythe present invention will be readily apparent from the foregoing detailed description. During operation ofthe internal combustion engine of the vehicle the suction or reduced pressure created in the engine operates to create a low pressure in the suction line 12, the coil 13, and low-pressure chamber 14. v The low pressure created in these-parts causes air to be drawn through the air line 40 into the low pressure chambcr 14. The air passing inwardly through the line 40 and choke tube 42 draws the liquid refrigerant through the line 41 from the supply reservoir 11. The liquid refrigerant discharged through the opening 71 into the choke tube 42 isvdischargcd into the low pressure chamber 14 in an atmized state 'Where it evaporates Very rapidly to provide the reduced temperature for chilling the sur-` rounding parts. The cold vaporized refrigerant passes from`the chamber 14` through the coil 13' where it operates to absorb heat from Within the compartment 31. The vaporized refrigerant passes fromthe coil 13 through the suction line 12 to the intake manifold 20. In the event that gasoline or "other volatile liquids are employed in the device,

their discharge into the intake manifold 20.

does not materially affect the operation of the engine. The liquid 'in "the container 36 is chilled during operation of the device and aids in keeping Vthe cooling compartment 31 cold after operation of the device has stopped.

F rom the foregoing description `it will be obvious that the cooling coil 13 is in .fact a part or continuation of the reduced pressure chamber 14. In fact, the apparatus may he operated with but a single partforming a reduced pressure chamber, that is, it may be operated with either the coil 13V or the chamber 14 without the other; therefore when I use the term reduced pressure chamber, unless such term is otherwise modified or limited, I mean to include various elements that may be used in carrying out the invention. For instance, a chamber formed by either the coil 13 or the chamber 14, or both. In practice the shape, size, and construction of the reduced pressure chamber used in any particular case will depend upon the use to which the device is to be put,

Having described only a typical preferred form of my invention, I do not Wish to limit myself to the specific details set forth, but

nWish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall Within the scope of the following claims: i

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. l 1. A refrigerating device adapted to bc operated by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a suction line communicatingr with the intake manifold, a chamber in communication W1th 1 :the suction line, 'and means for discharging,

an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber.

V2..In combination with an internal cornbustion engine having an intake manifold, a

rfrigerating device including, a chamber in' communication with the intake manifold, and means for supplying an atomized volatile liquid to the chamber.

3. In combination With an internal conibustion engine having an intake manifold, a refrigerating device including, a chamber in communication with the intake manifold, and means for discharging an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber, including an air intake for the chamber, an atomizing device in the air intake, and a liquid supply line discharging at the atomizing device.

4. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold, a refrigerating device including, a chamber in communication with the intake manifold, and means for discharging an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber including an air intake for the chamber, an atomizing device in the air intake, and means operable by the ow of air through the air intake for supplying a volatile liquid to the atomizing device. -5. yA refrigerating device adapted to be operated by aninternal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a suction line communicating with the intake manifold, a chamber in communication with the suction line, and means for discharging an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber including an air intake for the chamber and a carburetor in the air intake.

6. A refrigerating device adapted tobe operated by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a suction line communicating with the intake manifold, a chamber in communication with the suction'line, and means for discharging an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber including an air intake for the chamber, an atomizingdevice at the air intake, and means for supplying liquid tothe atomizing device.

7. A refrigerating device .adapted to be operated by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a suction line communicating with the intake manifold, a chamber in communication with the suction line, and means for discharging an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber including an air intake for the chamber, an atomizing device at the air intake, a, reservoir, and a supply line from the reservoir discharging at the atomizing device.

8. A refrigerating device adapted to be operated by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a coil communicating with the intake manifold of the engine, a chamber in communication With the coil, and means for passing an 'atomized volatileliqnid into the chamber.

' 9. A refrigerating device adapted to be operated by an internal combustion engine having anintake manifold iiicluding. a heat insulated cabinet, a coil in communication with the intake manifold in the cabinet, a chamber in communication With the coil in the cabinet, and means for passing an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber.

10. A refrigerating device adapted tobe operated by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a chamber in communication with the intake manifold of the engine, and means operable by the suction from the intake manifold for passing an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber including, an air intake for the chamber having a restricted portion, and a liquid supply line discharging at the restricted portion of the air intake.

11. A refrigerating device adapted to be operated by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a chamber in communication with the intake manifold of the engine, and means operable by the suction from the intake manifold for passing an atomizedy volatile liquid into the chamber including, an air intake for the chamber having spaced restricted portions, a liquid reservoir, and a supply conduit extending from thereservoir and discharging into the air intake between the restricted portions.

12. A refrigerating device adapted to be operatedby an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a chamber in communication with the intake .manifold of the engine, and means operable by the suction from the intake manifold for passing an .atomized volatile liquid into the chamber including, an air intake for the chamber having a restricted portion, a liquid voperated by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a chamber in communication With the intake manifold of the engine, and means operable by the suction from the intake manifold for passing an atomized volatile liquid into the v chamber including, an air lintake for the chamber, a restricted choke tube in the air intake, a liquid reservoir, and a conduit from the reservoir discharging in the'choke tube toward the chamber.

14. In combination, a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, a refrigerator adapted to be driven by the engine of the vehicle including, a reduced pressure chamber in communication with the intake manifold of the engine, an air intake for the chamber, an atomizing device in the air intake, and means for supplying a volatile liquid to the atomizing device.

15. In combination, a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, a refrigerator adaptedto be driven by the engine of the vehicle including, a reduced pressure chamber in communication with the intake manifold of the engine, an air intake for the chamber, an atomizing device in the air intake, and means operable by the flow of air through the ir intake for supplying a volatile liquid to the atomizing device.

16. A refrigerating device adapted to be operated by an internal combustlon engine having an intake manifold including, a suction line communicating with the intake manifold, a reduced pressure chamber in communication with the'suction line, a liq-` uid container mounted in the chamber, and means .for discharging an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber.

17. A refrigerating device adapted to be operated by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold including, a suction line communicating with the intake manifold, a reduced pressure chamber in communication With the suction line, a container adapted to hold a liquid for 'freezing removably mounted on the chamber, and means for discharging an atomized volatile liquid into the chamber. i

'18. A refrigeratng device adapted to be operated by an internal combustion engine ihaving an intake manifold including, a

'A chamber in communication with the intake manifold of the engine, and means` o erableb y the suction from theI intake mani old for passing an atomized volatile liquid into thel chamber including, an air intake for the chamber, a restricted choke tube in the air intake, a heat insulating tube connecting the choke tube and the chamber, a liquid reservo1r, and a conduit from the reservoirdislcjhargmg in the choke'tube toward the chamer. Y

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribedmy name this 14th day of April, 1930.

- NOBLE ECKL'ES. 

